surviving alone is much the same as dying alone - Toshikazu Kawaguchi

Doing things differently from everyone else would normally antagonize those making sure no one went against the grain, but no one ever thought that way with Kei. She was always everyone’s friend; she had that sort of effect on people.

no matter what difficulties people face, they will always have the strength to overcome them. It just takes heart.

It wasn't until later that she learned he could barely read or write. When she found it, she asked him how he managed to read all the long letters she wrote to him. Apparently, he just allowed his eyes to wander over them. Then he just wrote in his reply the vague impression he got from his gazing. But with the last letter, after casting his eyes over it, he was overcome with a feeling that he had missed something important. He read it word for word while asking different people to tell him what the words meant - hence the long time it took to reply.